Job 30
1 But now [they that are] younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.
“But now those who are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I considered unworthy to put with my sheep dogs.
2 Yea, whereto [might] the strength of their hands [profit] me, in whom old age was perished?
Of what use is the strength of their hands to me, men in whom ripe age has perished?
3 For want and famine [they were] solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.
They are gaunt from lack and famine. They gnaw the dry ground, in the gloom of waste and desolation.
4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots [for] their meat.
They pluck salt herbs by the bushes. The roots of the broom tree are their food.
5 They were driven forth from among [men], (they cried after them as [after] a thief; )
They are driven out from among men. They cry after them as after a thief,
6 To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, [in] caves of the earth, and [in] the rocks.
so that they live in frightful valleys, and in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
7 Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.
They bray among the bushes. They are gathered together under the nettles.
8 [They were] children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth.
They are children of fools, yes, children of wicked men. They were flogged out of the land.
9 And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.
“Now I have become their song. Yes, I am a byword to them.
10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.
They abhor me, they stand aloof from me, and don’t hesitate to spit in my face.
11 Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.
For he has untied his cord, and afflicted me; and they have thrown off restraint before me.
12 Upon [my] right [hand] rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.
On my right hand rise the rabble. They thrust aside my feet. They cast their ways of destruction up against me.
13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper.
They mar my path. They promote my destruction without anyone’s help.
14 They came [upon me] as a wide breaking in [of waters: ] in the desolation they rolled themselves [upon me].
As through a wide breach they come. They roll themselves in amid the ruin.
15 Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud.
Terrors have turned on me. They chase my honor as the wind. My welfare has passed away as a cloud.
16 And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.
“Now my soul is poured out within me. Days of affliction have taken hold of me.
17 My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest.
In the night season my bones are pierced in me, and the pains that gnaw me take no rest.
18 By the great force [of my disease] is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.
My garment is disfigured by great force. It binds me about as the collar of my tunic.
19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.
He has cast me into the mire. I have become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me [not].
I cry to you, and you do not answer me. I stand up, and you gaze at me.
21 Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me.
You have turned to be cruel to me. With the might of your hand you persecute me.
22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride [upon it], and dissolvest my substance.
You lift me up to the wind, and drive me with it. You dissolve me in the storm.
23 For I know [that] thou wilt bring me [to] death, and [to] the house appointed for all living.
For I know that you will bring me to death, to the house appointed for all living.
24 Howbeit he will not stretch out [his] hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.
“However doesn’t one stretch out a hand in his fall? Or in his calamity therefore cry for help?
25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was [not] my soul grieved for the poor?
Didn’t I weep for him who was in trouble? Wasn’t my soul grieved for the needy?
26 When I looked for good, then evil came [unto me: ] and when I waited for light, there came darkness.
When I looked for good, then evil came. When I waited for light, darkness came.
27 My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me.
My heart is troubled, and doesn’t rest. Days of affliction have come on me.
28 I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, [and] I cried in the congregation.
I go mourning without the sun. I stand up in the assembly, and cry for help.
29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.
30 My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.
My skin grows black and peels from me. My bones are burned with heat.
31 My harp also is [turned] to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.
Therefore my harp has turned to mourning, and my pipe into the voice of those who weep.
